The Wire

Australian mining giant BHP Billiton is trying to push through a deal that would see copper being exported to China. The only glitch is, this copper contains uranium. Although only a small percentage of uranium is present – around 0.01% to 0.15%– this would equate to 2500 tonnes of nuclear material being sold to China per year. The Federal Government signed the Australia-China Nuclear Transfer Agreement last April but is yet to finalise how safeguards against the misuse of uranium will be set up, which BHP seeks to take advantage of. David Noonan from the Australian Conservation Foundation says the government is likely to support the mining company, and it’s a sign the economy comes before national security risks. Professor Stephen Lincoln, a physical chemist from Adelaide University, explained the science behind the issue, and just how much uranium is required to build a nuclear weapon.